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Cyber Security Analyst Interview Questions & Answers
What is the role of a Cyber Security Analyst?
We cyber security analysts are the digital protectors. We help protect valuable digital information like personal photos and every company’s secret plans. We safeguard against people who try to mess with online information.
Our main goal is always to be super active. We aim to be proactive. We do not wait for something to happen and then say God it’s messed up. We are here to predict the symptoms before something happens. We are here to periodically check and scan systems and network traffic. As a cyber-security analyst, it is crucial to take a quick look at analyzing the network. We search for intruders attempting to enter our system. Our goal is to clearly know about the attacker. We identify where the attacker is coming from, what they are trying to target, and how we will block them.
We are always the first to respond when a problem arises, once we know the intentions for the attacker, we not only stop him but also figure out a solution so that it doesn’t happen again. This job is not to stay and work; we need to continuously learn new things and evolve with technology. There are new threats every day; say from anywhere in the world, but our job is to keep everything safe.
What are the most common types of cyber attacks?
In my experience I have seen a lot of various cyber-attacks and most of them are very serious sometimes which are really hard to detect. It is not only companies that are facing these issues, but even individuals are targeted.
Common Cyber-Attacks
In the beginning I used to deal with malware’s, viruses and spyware, which was very interesting to know how exactly we can troubleshoot in getting the bugs out of the software of the system. Then I had challenging situations with Ransomware where attackers would target big companies, hospitals where the files, folders and even the software was locked and asking for payments to unlock everything. It just took me a few hours to unlock such issues.
Then we have phishing attacks where attackers will gain your trust and take away your sensitive data.
Dealing with DDos issues is complicated as the hackers or say attackers look to send in fake traffic to a website or company network and try to steal sensitive data. While dealing with such issues I always take my time and come up with the best solution to stop the attackers from stealing the data.
Other types of cyber-attacks are zeo-day-exploits, credential stuffing, social engineering psychological tricks and then in-house company threats from employees who misuse their access while accessing company networks.
What is the difference between a vulnerability scan and a penetration test?
A vulnerability scan where you have a predefined list and scan quickly checks for common issues like robots walking around the company, it’s an automated agenda to check for issues. The vulnerability scan quickly catches the potential weaknesses of outdated locks, common design flaws to catch recognizable problems.
When it comes to a penetration test things are different, this is like employing a software or say a skilled ethical burglar to actively check for weakness in the system and just the checklist provides, exploiting every corner of the house. These ethical burglar’s go deep into the system and check how real attackers can get into the system, and if so till what point they can reach and make damages. This is a very time consuming process, but provides the best picture of how to react to such attackers in real time.
So, if you want to identify the weakness go for vulnerability scan, and if you want to know more about the real time attackers go for penetration test.
How do you stay current with emerging cyber threats?
Following the right sources, you can always stay updated with current emerging trends. Using the technology to its fullest, I have always looked to subscribe for newsletters on cyber security topics and threat intelligence feeds. I follow hacker news, bleeping computers and companies like crowd strike as these people share details about new ongoing attacks, case studies, and tips and tricks to identify and solve any kind of vulnerabilities.
I keep myself updated with online security forums, where many real time experiences are shared and professionals from different countries answer the best and simple solutions. Following cyber security groups on linkedin, twitter and bloggers make me stay with current trends and hence easy for me to test out the best working solution on my own.
I look for both attack and defense, which means I not only follow the happenings but also ensure to follow what is coming next… like AI advancements, quantum computing etc… Listening to podcasts, reading research papers and attending relevant webinars. I feel getting to something new ahead is the best part for me to know where the landscape is headed.
What is the CIA triad, and why is it important in cyber security?
Firstly, CIA stands for Confidentiality, integrity and availability, 3 pillars standing tall to protect the company’s information, trust, accuracy and accessibility.
Confidentiality for me is to provide access to people who are authorized, they are the only ones who can access the sensitive data. For example it’s like, locked data, only people with the key can access the data. It all involves strong passwords, access controls and encryption. The breach of Confidentiality happens when a company’s customer data fall into the wrong hands.
Trust and accuracy always happens with integrity in place. It guarantees that any digital information is never tampered, modified or even corrupted. Integrity stops attackers from changing bank passwords or balances or even crucial contracts. I set up data hashing, digital signatures and strict version control to see the data is real and unchanged.
When it comes to availability, all that happens is to access your information when you need it. I use robust backup systems, redundant infrastructure and disaster recovery plans to make sure everyone is able to access files and services online. If you are unable to access a website or a service, then it’s a breach of availability.
Why is it so important?
These 3 principles are important in cyber security because to have smooth functioning of any business. If one of these principles is affected then nothing really works, because confidential information is broken, then all the sensitive data is leaked out, if integrity is out, then there is no accuracy in any transaction and finally if availability is leaked then the business itself will not function.
The CIA is guiding the framework triad in the cyber security world. In a simple way to tell: these three principles are used to measure when designing security systems, responding to incidents and assessing risks. So, if you want to protect your digital assets make sure to follow this holistic approach.
How do you handle a security breach?
Let’s start with preparation, which is very important. Here we look at IRO which is an Incident Response plan, a clean roadmap of who is going to do what, when they should do and how they should do. To get a smoother response we look into tools like detection, communication channels both internal and external and assign roles and responsibilities.
The next step is identification, here the main point is to identify or figure out what exactly happened, if it is a breach or what exactly is wrong. I utilize monitoring systems for analyzing alerts, user reports and logs if something wrong has occurred, and then using the security incident determine the scope and type of attack which helps in providing the best solutions.
Containment is finding solutions to stop the attack, as we have identified, it’s now to stop it. Here I look to stop the spreading of the breach further into the network and affected systems. It is like having a firewall to stop the threats before the crucial evidence is destroyed.
The next step is eradication, here I work on the root cause and get rid of the breach. Doing this helps us make sure the attacker’s traction is completely gone. I work on removing malwares and vulnerabilities that were misused and make sure to harden the system to never make it happen again.
Once we have eradicated then next step is recovery, now bringing the entire setup online using a secure manner. Now the goal is to return all operations to safety. Here I am involved in restoring data, verifying system integrity and monitoring affected systems to check the attacker is not prowling.
Lessons Learned is like a post mortem, like checking how this also goes about, did we really recover everything, are there any gaps left. Did we perform all the steps better or are there any enhancements? This phase is all about getting to know the feedback for ourselves so that we don’t have these issues in future. If we do have such attacks we already have a backup plan ready
Example:
Let’s say we detect unusual outbound network traffic from a server that hosts our customer database – something that looks like data exfiltration.
•Identification: Our SIEM system flags an anomaly. We analyze the alerts, verify the suspicious behavior, and observe that data is actually being copied out.
•Containment: We immediately disconnect that server from the network, preventing further data loss. We block the destination IP address on our firewall as well.
•Eradication: Our forensics team analyzes the server, finds a backdoor installed through an unpatched vulnerability in an application, and removes it. We then patch the vulnerability across all similar systems.
•Recovery: We restore the database server from a known good backup, apply all the latest security patches, and re-enable its network connection. We monitor it intensely for a period.
•Lessons Learned: We review the incident: how did the attacker get in? Was the vulnerability scan process effective enough? Did our team communicate effectively? We revise our patching plan, enhance our monitoring rules, and perform a simulated attack exercise to exercise our enhanced defenses.
What is the role of AI and machine learning in cyber security?
AI and Machine Learning, or ML, are becoming undeniably crucial in cybersecurity. Consider it this way: old-fashioned security tools are like a security guard who only knows how to identify a list of known agitators. But in today’s world, new threats appear every single day, often concealed. This is where AI and ML step in.
The essential idea is that AI and ML can process and analyze gigantic amounts of data – far more than any human or even a huge team of humans ever could. They look for outlines, irregularities, and behaviors that diverge from what’s considered “normal.”
Here’s why they’re so important:
Detecting Unknown Threats (Zero-Days): Traditional security depends on “signatures” – essentially, a known configuration of malicious code. But what about brand new malware or attack approaches that nobody’s seen before (these are called zero-day exploits)? ML can learn what “normal” network traffic, user behavior, or file activity looks like. If something uncommon happens – a user logging in from an abnormal location at an odd hour, or a file performing in a way no genuine program would – ML can flag it, even if it doesn’t match any recognized signature.
Automating Repetitive Tasks: Security analysts covenant with a devastating number of alerts daily. Many of these are incorrect positives or low priority. AI and ML can help screen out the noise, arrange critical alerts, and even systematize original responses, like separating an infected machine. This releases up our human security specialists to concentrate on the really intricate, high-impact threats that need human perception and planned thinking.
Predictive Capabilities: By examining historical data on attacks, weaknesses, and system behavior, AI can twitch to foresee where the next attack potency comes from or what systems might be susceptible. It helps us be practical rather than just reactive.
Example:
Imagine a company with thousands of employees. Usually, an antivirus program can catch known malware. But with AI and ML:
User Behavior Analytics (UEBA): An ML system will observe an employee, John’s, usual login times, the applications he uses, and the data he normally accesses. If unexpectedly John logs in at 3 AM from a country he’s not ever visited, and starts trying to download sensitive customer data, the AI would approximately flag this as highly doubtful, even if his IDs were stolen and rightfully used. A traditional system might just see a valid login and not bat an eye.
Advanced Malware Detection: Instead of just looking for an exact virus signature, an ML-powered endpoint discovery and response (EDR) system can examine the behavior of a file. If a new program tries to encrypt a large number of files rapidly or attempts to connect to a known malicious IP address, the AI can classify it as ransomware and block it, even if it’s a variant never seen before.
So, AI and ML aren’t here to replace human cybersecurity specialists, but rather to be our powerful assistants, allowing us to switch the scale and superiority of current cyber threats much more efficiently. They intensify our abilities pointedly.
What is a security information and event management (SIEM) system?
All right, so imagine you’re a security guard painstakingly monitoring a huge building with hundreds of doors and entrances and exits, and activity always on the move. You have cameras, motion sensors, card swipes, and people coming and going. Attempting to monitor the whole shebang by hand would be cumbersome, don’t you agree?
That’s basically what a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system does for an organization’s virtual space.
In short, a SIEM is essentially an über intelligent, master mind of all your security information. It is a system that:
1. Swings the net wide: It collects enormous quantities of security information (termed “logs” and “events”) from flat-out everywhere across your IT network. Firewalls, servers, user terminals, applications, network devices including routers and switches, even cloud environments. Imagine getting all the paper, all the security camera footage, and all the door swipe records from your whole building.
2. Normalizes and Centralizes: It is all this data in various formats from various devices. The SIEM collects it all and aggregates it into a language everyone can understand and saves it in one location. That makes it a lot simpler to examine.
3.Correlates and Analyzes: Where the “smart” occurs. The SIEM doesn’t merely retain data; it goes in search of correlations and patterns among apparently unrelated events. It applies preset rules, and usually a pinch of AI/Machine Learning, to alert it to the possibility of malicious activity or threats that any one individual device may fail to detect.
4. Reports and Notifications: If it detects something unusual, it creates a report, which informs the security team (e.g., a direct message to our security teams). It also offers dashboards and reports that provide real-time visibility into the security posture and help with compliance audits.
security teams would be drowning in an ocean of different data. They’d be reading through logs for dozens or hundreds of different systems by hand, trying to connect the dots. A SIEM gives us that all-important “single pane of glass” view, allowing us to:
• Detects threats quicker: It also detects anomalies that can signal an active attack.
• Rapidly process incidents: All incident-related data are in one place, making forensic analysis happen much quicker.
• Meet compliance standards: Most regulations involve detailed logging and reporting, which SIEMs automate.
Example:
Suppose an attacker is attempting to access your network.
•Your firewall first records 50 unsuccessful logins from an unknown IP address to your publicly exposed web server.
•10 minutes later, your Active Directory server records a successful logon of a user account at the administrative level by the same unknown IP address, but one that has not been used in months.
• In the meantime, your endpoint detection and response (EDR) tool on one server records a new user account creation attempt with high-level privileges.
Independently, individually each of these events may not be worth calling out a high-severity alert. The firewall simply observed denied logins. The Active Directory simply observed a successful login. The EDR simply observed a new user creation attempt.
But a SIEM system would correlate all these logs, recognize that they occurred approximately at the same time, impact the same type of systems, and originate from the same offending source. It would discover the event correlation, know that this sequence of events is probably a “Brute Force Attack followed by Privilege Escalation,” and send an immediate high-priority alert to the security operations center with the entire context in front of them, so they can respond before much damage can be caused.
How do you prioritize security threats?
Security threats prioritization is a most essential skill, as in the real world, you cannot do everything simultaneously. It is a matter of strategic thinking regarding limited resources – people, money, and time – to attack what actually is most important to the organization.
My approach really boils down to risk-based thinking, considering two main things and then adding a vital third:
1. Impact: Then I examine the effect if the threat ever were to become real. This is not technical severity; it’s business impact. In the event that this system crashes, or in the case that this information leaks out, what does it cost? What’s the damage to reputation? Are there regulatory penalties? Does it kill customer trust? An e-commerce public-net-facing payment-processing system defect has broader impact than a segregated legacy test environment defect, even if the two are equated on technical “severity score.” I collaborate closely with business stakeholders to find out what actually are mission-critical assets.
2.Likelihood/Exploitability: Second, I think about whether the threat is likely to occur or whether a vulnerability is going to be attacked. Is there a known exploit for this vulnerability out in the wild? Are the attackers currently using it in the wild (these types of exploits we refer to as “in-the-wild” exploits)? Is the vulnerability easily accessible via the internet? A threat of high severity, where the attacker would need physical access to our data center, is less likely than one that can be remotely attacked via the internet. I consume threat intelligence feeds and vulnerability databases in trying to see what threats are currently present on the horizon.
3. Feasibility/Remediation Effort: Last, I consider how hard or time-consuming it is to repair the issue. A high-impact, high-probability threat occasionally has a straightforward, rapid solution – that’s priority number one. Occasionally, though, a crucial problem may require rewriting the system entirely, which is time and planning-consuming. We must weigh the risk against our capability for remediation.
What is the importance of security awareness training for employees?
Staff security awareness training is the absolute key – you’d even go as far as to say it’s one of our strongest lines of defense. We can have the greatest firewalls, the most advanced intrusion detection systems, and the most current security technology, but at the end of the day, people are going to be the first target for those who want to get in.
Imagine it like this: our protection is a secure castle with high walls and intelligent alarms. Though, if one of the residents of the castle leaves the gate open for the invader, all those walls are unrelated. That “someone” is a staff member who unintentionally connects a phishing link, gets phished, or uses a weak password.
Why it is so important:
• The Weakest Link (and the Strongest!): Humans: Attackers find that sometimes it’s simpler to trick a human than to circumvent sophisticated technical defense. Employees are attacked through phishing, social engineering, and ransomware. Training enables employees to recognize these tricks and become a “human firewall” – an engaged defender and not an unconscious point of entry.
• Protecting Sensitive Data: Employees handle sensitive company data every day, from customer information to intellectual property. Training assistants recognize the worth of this data and the correct protocols for controlling it securely, stopping accidental revelations or deliberate misuse.
•Creating a Security Culture: When employees know why security habits are being adopted, they’re more likely to adopt them routinely. It brings security from being an information technology problem only to a shared responsibility everyone has. It depicts a culture where everybody feels they have a pale in the protection of the business. It pointers to healthier behaviors, like securing workstations, using strong passwords, and calling out doubtful activity.
•Compliance and Reputation: Confident rules (such as GDPR or HIPAA) need security awareness training. Aside from compliance, violations caused by employees might hurt the reputation of a company immensely and result in huge losses. Proper training avails against these risks.
In the end, effective cybersecurity is not so much a matter of technology; it’s people. Educating your employees to be capable of spotting and staying away from threats turns them into an asset, rather than a risk. It’s an investment that yields returns by severely limiting the human factor in security breaches.
What are some essential skills for a Cyber Security Analyst?
On the tech side, some of these following are worth mentioning:
Knowing about Networks and Systems: This is basic. You must understand how computers communicate with one another, how networks are set up, what a firewall is, and how operating systems such as Windows and Linux operate on a more fundamental level. Without that, it is hard to understand where the weakness lies or how the attack is occurring.
Familiarity with Security Tools: We employ a full set of tools, ranging from SIEM systems to analyze logs to scanners that scan for vulnerability and even forensic tools to analyze incidents. Familiarity with being able to cross and understand output from these tools is essential.
Incident Response: When it occurs, you must be able to react in a calm and methodical way. This means you must be able to sense the breach, contain it, neuter the threat, and then assist the organization in recovering. You are a digital EMT.
Threat Intelligence: Keeping current is important. Being aware of emerging attack vectors, the entities using them, and newly found vulnerabilities allows us to pre-empt threats instead of merely responding to them.
Basic Coding/Scripting (Python, if possible): You don’t have to be a software engineer in the classical sense, but some basic scripting language skills such as Python or PowerShell are extremely useful. It helps you understand how to automate dull tasks, query quickly, and even create small tools to assist with investigations.
And then we have the soft skills, which are equally important:
Analytical and Problem-Solving: Problem-solving is essentially what cybersecurity is. You’re dealing with what appear to be unrelated pieces of information and attempting to determine what occurred, why it occurred, and how you can prevent it from occurring in the future. You need critical thinking and detective skills.
Attention to Detail: A small inconsistency in a log file, a suspect-looking email message, or one misconfigured setting can be the weak spot of a massive breach. Attention to detail is not something you can afford to get sloppy about.
Communication: We are not alone. You must be able to describe complex technical risk and solution in simple language to technical and non-technical individuals, from fellow analysts to senior management.
Flexibility and Continuing Education: The threat landscape evolves continuously, on a day-to-day basis. What is good today may not be the same tomorrow. Therefore, a genuine curiosity as well as a constant zeal for continuing to learn and evolve in an effort to remain one step ahead of new threats and new technologies is simply essential.